Five Frugal Things -- Mostly Just Bigfoot!
1. I saw that the Leach Botanical Garden was offering free admission over the weekend, so I added it to my calendar. The price is normally $8/person, so this $16 savings was a nice frugal opportunity for my husband and I.
The best part is that it was dramatically rainy over the past week, but we got a respite from the cat and dogs on Sunday -- perfect for a stroll though their beautiful property. Plus we got to meet local celebrity!
2. I went to drag the bins to the curb and saw that my neighbor added three uncut fancy pumpkins into our yard debris. I still have one that needs to be processed from a different neighbor, but still helped myself to the above pumpkin.
I haven't baked them for puree yet, as I'm out of freezer bags. So I went ahead and plugged my nose and ordered a big box from Schmeff Schmezos. I order maybe two or three items from him per year, although it's always practical items like a replacement robo-vacuum battery or freezer bags.
3. Remember that schwanky Restoration Hardware wastebasket that I pulled from a free pile last summer? It continues to look amazing, but the bottom corners were remarkably sharp and scratching our fir floors. It doesn't help that the bin weighs a full five pounds, (yes I weighed it) which gives it extra heft.
Luckily I have the above roll of stick-on protective padding that I've probably owned since nursing school. (Seriously, look at how the plastic packaging has yellowed!) I took five minutes from my day and added felt triangles to the corners and I'm happy to announce that it now slides smoothly across the ground. No more floor damage!
For comparison, Restoration Hardware is currently selling a similar wastebasket for a mere $565! An amazing bargain, as it's down from a reasonable $905!
4. I took one of the apples from my neighbor to create a delicious topping for my morning bowl of bulk-bins Winco oatmeal. So good, I think I'll repeat this breakfast tomorrow.
Extreme frugality doesn't have to be a life of deprivation!
5. I watched one of Rajiv Surendra's YouTube videos about the benefits of investing in quality items -- using his $350 umbrella to illustrate his point. Yes, this may seem like an outsized example, but he purchased it many years ago from a London store that's been using the same techniques and materials since the 1800s. His rosewood umbrella not only has a sterling silver handle, but is at the level of quality where it's likely to never break. I believe it also has a lifetime warranty.
So when I spied this broken umbrella, it hammered down the point that poor quality cheap items are often just temporary possessions, as they're destined for the bin. (Social media is referring to this as "landfill core.") My personal umbrella is far from a bespoke heirloom, but is still a high quality item. I bought it at the Goodwill "bins" maybe ten years ago. It was a giveaway with Elizabeth Taylor perfume back in the day, and at a level of quality where I'm more likely to lose it than dump it into a garbage can.
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
1. I finished listening to Dick Van Dyke's 100 Rules for Living to 100. It was a digital borrow from the library. I promptly returned it so other patrons can enjoy it.
2. I loaned a neighbor our VHS-C converter for an old mini VHS tape she wanted to play. There was no reason for her to buy one.
3. I helped DH convert his cell phone plan to Visible from Verizon. It is a Verizon product but he purchased the high end service for $225/year (Black Friday sale). We may also be able to save $15/month on our home Fios.
4. I have been wearing a Cuddle Duds base layer on top. It makes me feel so much warmer both inside the house and outside. I purchased Cuddle Duds many, many years ago on clearance. I also have some that belonged to my mom.
5. I asked for a check for our credit card rewards. There were some gift cards 10% off but not for anywhere that we would spend money.